1st Semester

RE and EE Systems and Conecepts

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module enhances understanding of renewable energy technologies, system design and applications and gives you an overview of energy efficiency concepts. It enables you to appreciate the performance of technologies and sharpens yourability to communicate effectively and knowledgably with relevant stakeholders.

Dr. - Ing. Volkhard Scholz

CURRENT POSITION

Volkhard Scholz works on agricultural engineering research at ATB Potsdam-Bornim. For the last 20 years, he has worked predominantly in the area of renewable energy in rural areas. He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Tropical Agriculture and a PhD in Engineering Sciences.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

He has specialized in sustainable production and the use of bioenergy sources such as energy crops, biogas and other biofuel and has managed projects in research and in industrial practice and published about 100 articles in journals and books.

EDUCATION

Aside from his R&D activities, he continues to work as consultant and lecturer in more than 10 different countries. In the last few years, he has delivered lecture series in renewable energy at universities in Germany, Nigeria, Brazil and Costa Rica.

Energy Policy and Economic Framework

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module gives you an overview of the key issues within energy policy, including drivers of the energy market, market structures and concepts, international climate policies, main actors, interests and instruments. You learn about the political frameworks for the market introduction of renewable energy technologies.

Contents

Future challenges of global energy supply

Drivers for energy policy

Energy sectors and related fields

International organizations

International climate policy

Support mechanisms for renewable electricity and heat and energy efficiency in buildings

Toby Couture

CURRENT POSITION

Toby Couture is Director of Renewable Energy at E3 Analytics, an international energy consultancy based in Berlin, Germany.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Toby Couture has over a decade of experience in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors and has advised senior policymakers and regulators in over thirty countries around the world. This includes a number of projects with leading international organizations, including ECREEE, IRENA, GIZ, the IFC, UNDP, and UNIDO.

EDUCATION

Mr. Couture is a native speaker of both French and English, is semi-fluent in Spanish and German and has varying levels of fluency in Greek and Swahili. He is a previous recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship, has studied renewable energy finance in France, has a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Moncton in Canada, as well as an MSc. in Financial and Commercial Regulation from the London School of Economics in the UK.

Accounting

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module familiarizes you with the concepts, processes, principles and the system of accounting. You learn to apply the basic concepts of cost accounting and management accounting and are able to use accounting techniques for decision making, planning and control in RE & EE ventures and projects.

Prof. Dr. Hans Schmitz

CURRENT POSITION

Hans Schmitz is Professor for Management Accounting and Management Control at Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin (Germany). Because of his expertise in different aspects of e-learning, he is a member of the e-learning team at Beuth Hochschule and manages an online bachelor degree program “industrial engineering”. His research interests focus on behavioral aspects of management accounting and the design of accounting information systems. He has (co-)authored textbooks and academic articles on these topics.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Prior to his present position he worked for the University of Mannheim and Technische Universität Berlin in Germany. He has been teaching management accounting and management control courses on bachelor and master level and in professional training courses. Hans Schmitz gained industry experience from several consulting projects dealing with the design of management accounting systems and the implementation of IT-systems for accounting.

EDUCATION

Hans Schmitz holds a PhD in Management Sciences of the University of Mannheim (Germany) and a degree as Industrial Engineer from Technische Universität Berlin (Germany). He received the postdoctoral lecture qualification (venia legendi) for business administration from the University of Mannheim.

2nd semester

International Business Law

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module fosters your understanding of how to determine the legal system applicable for business in other countries, the sources of international law and their underlying principles. It creates a basis to decide upon corporate structures and introduces international regulations for the exchange of goods and services (GATT, CISG).

Contents

International Business Law

European business law, The World Trade Organisation (WTO, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), UN sales law - United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), Corporate law, International property and investment law, law of trademarks

Relevant contracts for renewable energy projects

Law of contracts – parties, offer & assumption, definition of subject matter and content, maintenance of compulsory legal provisions and formalities, legal enforceability and other aspects.

Mr. Maximilian Feustel

CURRENT POSITION

Maximilian Feustel is a German-qualified lawyer currently working as inhouse legal counsel for Global Tech I Offshore Wind GmbH, operator of a 400MW offshore windpark in the North Sea.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Maximilian Feustel established KEE, a law firm specialising in renewable energy law as a founding Partner in 2010. He provided legal advice to a wide range of clients in the renewable energy sector, focussing on advising German and international manufacturers, developers, investors and banks concerning the planning, construction, operation and financing of renewable energy projects as well as the sale and purchase of such projects. He previously worked for an international law firm, focusing on international project finance transactions.

EDUCATION

He was admitted to the German bar in 2005. He holds an LL.M. degree from Maastricht University (Netherlands) after completing the University’s Magister Iuirs Communis program on European, comparative and international law. He studied law at Heidelberg University (Germany).

Investment and Financing

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module familiarizes you with the concepts and basic principles of corporate investment and financing. You learn to apply the basic concepts of corporate finance and corporate investment and are able to use this knowledge for financing and investment decisions in RE & EE ventures and projects.

Contents

Principles of corporate finance

Project financing with special focus on RE&EE financing schemes

Investment appraisal (techniques), business cases

Role of RE&EE support schemes for project finance and RE&EE investment attractiveness

Prof. Dr. Andreas Taschner

CURRENT POSITION

Andreas Taschner is Professor for Management Accounting at ESB Business School of Reutlingen University (Germany). He also serves as Dean of Studies of ESB Business School.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Prior to his present position he was Professor at Beuth Hochschule für Technik in Berlin. His major teaching and research interests are Management Accounting (with particular focus on SMEs and on supply chains), management reporting and business cases / investment appraisal techniques (with a focus on renewable energies). He has authored various books and scholarly articles in this field.

Andreas Taschner has more than ten year of industry experience. He has held various functions in the telecommunications industry and was department head with responsibility for management accounting, cost control management control systems for business unit “services” in a German manufacturing company.

EDUCATION

Andreas Taschner holds a PhD in Management Sciences of Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (Austria) and has spent part of his studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA).

3rd semester

Project Management

Learning objectives and trained competencies

Main character of project driven work is the view of a defined time line with an end. Working in this structure is for many people a challenge. This module helps you to find structures within projects and become familiar with the methods and techniques to manage projects, but it also shows risks and chances to be part of a changing environment.

Contents

Project charta

Stakeholder management

Scheduling

Cost management / Earned value method

Multi project management

Standards in project management

Maturity models

Dr. A. J. Gilbert Silvius

CURRENT POSITION

A. J. Gilbert Silvius is professor of project and programme management at LOI University of Applied Sciences and principal consultant at Van Aetsveld change and project management. He is an internationally experienced consultant/trainer in project management and member of the international enable2change network of project management experts. As a practitioner, he has over 20 years hands-on experience in organizational change and IT projects.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. A. J. Gilbert Silvius is considered one of the leading experts in the field of sustainability in project management, with over a dozen papers and several books published on the topic. He was awarded the 2013 Sustainability Award of the international Green Project Management organization.

EDUCATION

He holds a PhD in information sciences from Utrecht University and master degrees in economics and business administration.

Marketing Analysis and Instruments

Learning objectives and trained competencies

After successfully completing the module, you should be able to develop a marketing concept: defining specific marketing goals on the basis of the market analysis, formulating strategies in order to reach the defined goals and finally developing marketing-mix-instruments to realize the strategy.

Contents

Marketing and the decision making processes of potential customers in the market of RE

Various techniques that help to analyze the market in order to get a good understanding of needs and wants of the customers, the activities as well as the potential of competitors

Development of a competitive advantage in that specific market and how to address the defined customer segments in the market effectively

Mr. Henry Lüthi-Studer

CURRENT POSITION

Henry Lüthi-Studer opened his own consultancy office in 2013. He is consulting solar cooperatives as well as public and private owner of big roofs and is coordinating renewable energy projects from the idea to the operation phase. The development of the largest roof integrated PV system in Switzerland was honored by the Swiss Solar Award.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

He started his career in the development of concentrating photovoltaics and went into consultancy and factory planning amongst others for thin film PV fabs in China. From 2010 onward he developed solar roof projects and district heating systems for a Swiss renewable energy financing company until starting his work as consultant.. Further work on strategic wind investments, biofuel and wood pelleting as well as carbon trading was elaborated from 2007 onwards.

EDUCATION

HR and People Management

Learning objectives and trained competencies

In this module you learn about the central elements of human resource management and are able to understand its central instruments and methods such as performance management processes, interviews, assessment centers and communication. After successful completion, you should be able to conduct and lead communication processes as well as to mitigate or solve conflicts in an intercultural organizational set-up.

Contents

Central elements of human resource management

Analysis of organizational structures

Communication, feedback, conflict solving, negotiation skills

Recruitment process and different methods of recruiting

Leading performance management

New forms of communication (virtual communication and cooperation)

Intercultural communication and diversity management

Training Needs Assessment (TNA) and capacity building

Leadership styles, change management, coaching

Ms. Katrin Huber

CURRENT POSITION

Katrin Huber is in charge of HR Development at DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG, an international exploration & production company for oil & gas with headquarters in Hamburg (Germany) and production facilities and concessions in Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Norway and the UK.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Katrin Huber has worked in the field of HR Management and People Development for more than 15 years. She started her professional career 1999 at Volkswagen, consulting as internal trainer and advisor on International Potential Analysis, Talent Management and Leadership Development for Volkswagen worldwide. From 2005-2006 she was in charge of HR Management at Autostadt GmbH before joining RWE Group in 2006, one of Europe’s five leading electricity and gas companies. She was heading the HR and Organisational Development department of RWE´s Supply&Trading organization before moving to her current position at DEA in 2011.

EDUCATION

Katrin Huber is a graduated Industrial Psychologist and studied in Gießen, Köln and Aachen (Germany). Furthermore she holds a Master of Science degree in Coaching & Consulting Change of Oxford Said Business School (UK) & HEC Paris (France). She is a certified trainer (Diploma of Trainer Academy Munich, Germany) and coach in Transactional Analysis.

4th semester

International Management

Learning objectives and trained competencies

In this module you acquire an in-depth knowledge of international management concepts and methods and become familiar with the specific environment of international business operations. You learn how to apply management concepts and techniques to your multinational and diverse environments.

Contents

International management and the multinational enterprise

Legal, political and economic environment of international operations – globalization

Strategic challenges of multinational management

Organizing international operations

Performance management in multinational companies

Managing diversity in global operations contexts, the cultural dimension of international business

Dr. Michael Müller

CURRENT POSITION

Michael Müller has been working as Senior Advisor for strategy & portfolio management in the oil & gas division of the world´s largest chemical company (BASF - Wintershall) since April 2016.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Before his current position in BASF he was based in Moscow (Russia) heading the business development activities of Wintershall Russia for 4 years. Before joining BASF in 2012 he was managing international consulting projects in more than 25 mid-sized companies and large corporations in various industries such as oil & gas, energy, chemicals, utilities, manufacturing, media & telecom, pharma, medical care and financial industries for more than 10 years. He was based in Berlin (Germany) and Atlanta, GA (USA). Michael Müller has been engaged as speaker and lecturer on international conferences (Frankfurt, Zurich, Philadelphia, Charleston, Detroit etc.) on various management topics (strategic, financial, processes & organization). He is the author of numerous professional publications.

EDUCATION

Michael Müller holds a doctoral degree in Industrial Management (Dr. rer. pol.) from European Business School, Oestrich-Winkel (Germany). He studied Industrial Engineering at Technical University of Berlin (Germany) and University of California at Berkeley, CA (USA).

Integrated Business Plan Development

Learning objectives and trained competencies

This module makes you familair with the importance of business plans and you learn to understand the conceptual approach on the elaboration of business plans. After successful completion of the module, you should be able to apply central accounting principles and methods to elaborate a business plan. You learn to analyze Business Cases (BCA) and become competent in developing a well-structured business plan.

Mr. Alexander Boensch

CURRENT POSITION

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since June 2008, Alexander Boensch has been consulting ENERTRAG Structured Finance AG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENERTRAG AG at Director’s level being in charge of corporate finance, risk management, procurement of capital, financial modelling, bank marketing and M&A activities.

In 2003, Alexander Boensch started his own advisory business specializing in Project & Structured Finance consulting for renewable energy companies. In addition to his consulting work for wind energy industry clients, Alexander Boensch is member of the investment decision-making board of ENERTRAG EnergieZins GmbH, a well-established issuer of financial products exclusively based on claims on renewable energy assets.

EDUCATION

Mr. Boensch graduated from Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR Berlin) and has completed a vocational training in the banking industry.

Advanced Research Methods

Learning objectives and trained competencies

After successfully completing this module, you should be able to formulate research proposals and questions and to know about characteristics of important research methods. You gain practical competencies in the design and structure of a Master’s thesis and are able to write a research proposal including research background, significance, methods, references, expected results and a focused literature review.

Contents

Introduction to the theory of research

Screening of relevant information and sources

Formulation of research proposals

Qualitative and quantitative research methods

Application of statistical methods

Verification/falsification of research questions

Subsuming of research results

Research ethics

Design of a Master’s thesis

Prof. Dr. Peter Weimann

CURRENT POSITION

Prof. Dr. Peter Weimann is Professor for Information Systems at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences in Berlin since 2006.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Prof. Dr. Peter Weimann worked in the industry and consulting business in different management positions for over 10 years. After being appointed Professor at the University of Cape Town and working in the Department of Infomration Systems he became Professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Aalen and thereafter at the Beuth University Berlin. Peter Weimann has co-authored several textbooks and written research articles in the field of Information Systems, Business Engineering, Project Management and Health Management. His research topics are IS applications in hospitals, project management, virtual teams, research methods in sustainable and renewable energy studies.

EDUCATION

Prof. Dr. Peter Weimann graduated as a Master in Computer Science in Germany and completed his PhD at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

5th semester

Master's Thesis

Module aims and trained competencies

The student can apply the knowledge gained during the course of studies to a practical problem. Under supervision and guidance of a field expert and / or an academic expert the student works independently on the selected topic respecting scientific standards.

Contents

Content depends on the topic of the master's thesis.

Topic must relate to one of the modules and should focus on the practical application of theoretical knowledge to a specific project or venture.

Oral Master's Examination

Module aims and trained competencies

The student is able to present the method and the result of the master thesis in a scientific discourse. He/she can critically reflect the approach selected, is able to link own results to other research areas and can exemplify the implications for business practice.

Contents

Content depends on the topic of the master's thesis.

Electives

Entrepreneurship

Learning objectives and trained competencies

Upon completion of this module, students can explain entrepreneurial ventures. They can apply creative techniques to foster innovation and generation of new business models. Students can define and interpret important aspects of entrepreneurial marketing, financing and organisation. They can evaluate and decide on new business and innovation concepts in the green energy industry.

Business opportunities and models in the renewable industry – solar PV

Alexander Haferland

CURRENT POSITION

Alexander Haferland works as Head of Technology Consulting at Novatec Consulting GmbH. His core expertise lies in the areas of leadership, organizational change, technology and innovation. Moreover, he is working as a freelance consultant in the area of research and digital innovation within the fields of renewable energies, agriculture and archaeology.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 2005 Mr. Haferland has been working in project management and leadership positions throughout different industries. Within these roles he has been responsible for strategic and innovative projects in the areas of information technology, agile and lean. Since 2012 Mr. Haferland is working in the energy sector on the integration of renewable energies to the existing energy systems and the energy system transition in Germany.

EDUCATION

Mr. Haferland holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Renewables and a Bachelor of Engineering (B.-Eng.) in Communication Systems.

Advanced Renewable Energy Technologies

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module aims to provide a deeper technical insight in five of the renewable energy technologies: Photovoltaics, solar thermal, CSP, wind energy and biomass.

Mr. Craig Wong

CURRENT POSITION

Craig Wong is currently working as a head of project development in a company named Infinity Biopower in Western US and as a project director in Weltec Biopower.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

For the past years, Craig has worked in the US to help clients develop biogas plants, which process large quantities organic waste into renewable energy. He built relationships with clients, and helped them understand their project from a system’s perspective. Previously, Craig taught masters students at the University of Oldenburg in the renewable energy laboratory, installed testing equipment on an electric vehicle, worked in a Chinese PV panel factory, and as a Product Engineer.

EDUCATION

Craig Wong holds a master’s degree in Renewable Energy Technologies from the University of Oldenburg in Germany, with a specialization in hybrid systems. His master’s thesis was to evaluate the feasibility of a wind-pump-hydro storage system on the island of Gran Canaria. Craig obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, California.

Energy Management and Energy Efficiency

Learning objectives and trained competencies

The module deepens knowledge on different energy efficiency approaches, potentials, technologies, economics and legal aspects and highlights the role of different stakeholders. It enhances know-how on project management and quality management and explains relevant aspects based on case studies and operation models for energy efficiency measures.

Contents

Energy Efficiency Definitions

Financial and economic Analysis

International Energy Efficiency Policy Scenarios

Fuels

Energy Efficiency Measures in Industry

Mr. Carsten Ernst

CURRENT POSITION

Carsten Ernst is Senior Consultant, Partner and Head of Quality Assurance. Since 2005 he has worked as a project manager for ÖKOTEC Energiemanagement GmbH in Berlin. His key areas are energy efficiency, conceptual energy design and low energy design for commercial/ industrial buildings, heating, ventilation, cooling energy, compressed air, combined heat and power. In the last years he supervised several national and international projects in the field of energy efficiency. Since 2009 he lectures part-time internationally on a project basis for the Renewables Academy AG (RENAC) in Berlin.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

From 1994 to 1998 he was Project Engineer and Partner for Syrius GmbH and Wega GmbH in Berlin; He developed mechanical services (heating, ventilation, incl. CHP) for mainly large domestic buildings.

From 1998 to 2004 he was Senior Consultant and Associate at BDSP Partnership in London; He worked as Design Team Coordinator and developed mechanical and environmental services for international building design projects (e.g. New National Assembly of Wales, Cardiff).

From 2004 to 2005 he was Project Manager for Mechanical & Environmental Services at Arup GmbH in Berlin; he developed building and environmental services for large scale developments (e.g. new development European Central Bank, Frankfurt).

From 2005 to 2007 he was also a Lecturer at the Technical College of Potsdam (FHP) for Building/ Environmental Services.

EDUCATION

Carsten Ernst holds a degree as Mechanical Engineer from the RWTH Aachen, Germany.